ElringKlinger receives another high-volume lightweighting order from US electric vehicle manufacturer

ElringKlinger receives another high-volume lightweighting order from US electric vehicle manufacturer

- Order for series supply of cockpit cross-car beams in hybrid design for new model of a leading US electric vehicle manufacturer

- Contract over a period of five years from 2020 onwards

- Medium to high double-digit million euro sales volume over the term of the agreement

- Production at ElringKlinger's Californian site in Fremont

Dettingen/Erms (Germany), November 12, 2019 +++ ElringKlinger AG is intensifying its cooperation with a leading US electric vehicle manufacturer. On the basis of its previous business relationship with lightweighting components, the global US electric vehicle pioneer has signed a series contract with the Dettingen-based supplier to deliver cockpit cross-car beams for its new full-electric model. The order will initially run for five years and has a total volume in the mid to high double-digit million euro range. Production at the Californian site in Fremont (USA) is scheduled to start in 2020.

"This follow-up contract underscores how advantageous our lightweighting components also are for full-electric vehicles," says Dr. Stefan Wolf, CEO of ElringKlinger AG. "It represents a further step in the successful implementation of the Group's strategy of generating more than 25% of sales in the next decade in the future business areas of structural lightweighting and e-mobility."

ElringKlinger uses an innovative production process that combines hydroforming and injection molding in a single process step to produce lightweight plastic components for car bodies. The resulting hybrid components made of plastic and metal combine the advantages of both materials: high dimensional accuracy of complex geometries with minimum tolerances and considerable structural strength in the event of a crash. At the same time, significant weight advantages over conventional metal variants can be achieved.

Lightweight construction is well established at ElringKlinger: since the late 1990s, the Group has been working on the substitution of metal by plastic. ElringKlinger makes targeted use of its comprehensive expertise in materials, processes and fabrication in order to be able to offer customized lightweight components for the drive train and car body. Since 2015, the Group has been manufacturing cockpit cross-car beams and front-end carriers made of polymer-metal hybrids at its plants in Leamington (Canada) and Suzhou (China), and since 2017 in Fremont (USA).

For further information, please contact:
ElringKlinger AG
Dr. Jens Winter
Strategic Communications
Max-Eyth-Straße 2
72581 Dettingen/Erms (Germany)
Phone: +49 7123 724-88335
Fax: +49 7123 724-85 8335
E-mail: jens.winter[at]elringklinger.com
www.elringklinger.com

About ElringKlinger AG
As an independent and globally positioned supplier, ElringKlinger is a powerful and reliable partner to the automotive industry. Be it passenger car or commercial vehicle, equipped with an optimized combustion engine, with hybrid technology, or with an all-electric motor - we offer innovative solutions for all types of drive system. In doing so, we are making a committed contribution to sustainable mobility. Our lightweighting concepts help to reduce the overall weight of vehicles. As a result, vehicles powered by combustion engines consume less fuel and emit less CO₂, while those equipped with alternative propulsion systems benefit from an extended range. Developing cutting-edge battery and fuel cell technology as well as electric drive units, we were among the frontrunners when it came to positioning ourselves as a specialist in the field of e-mobility. At the same time, we are committed to evolving our sealing technology for a wide range of applications. Our shielding systems are designed to ensure high-end temperature and acoustics management throughout the vehicle. Dynamic precision parts developed by ElringKlinger can be used in all types of drive system. Additionally, the Group's portfolio includes engineering services, tooling technology, and products made of high-performance plastics, which are also marketed to industries beyond the automotive sector. These efforts are supported by a dedicated workforce of more than 10,000 people at 44 ElringKlinger Group locations around the globe.